Race and Society

Empathy begins with awareness, knowledge, and understanding. Our librarians selected these resources to illuminate history so we can work toward equity.

Recommend reading and more

Aloha rodeo

David Wolman

An Outsider’s Guide to Humans; Book Club in a Bag

Camilla Pang

Eyes that kiss in the corners

Joanna Ho

Eyes That Speak to the Stars

Joanna Ho

Finding Junie Kim

Ellen Oh

Fiona and Jane

Jean Chen Ho

Homicide and halo-halo

Mia P. Manansala

Jade City

Fonda Lee

Memorial

Bryan Washington

Scattered all over the earth

Yōko Tawada

The chosen and the beautiful

Nghi Vo

The grace of kings

Ken Liu

The Mermaid from Jeju; Book Club in a Bag

Sumi Hahn

The three-body problem

Cixin Liu

We hereby refuse

Frank Abe

Sesame Street: See Us Coming Together Special

Join an all-star cast and new neighbor Ji-Young and celebrate the diversity of Asian and Pacific Islander communities.

Learn more

Listen

Listen to podcasts on topics from different cultural perspectives, discussions on politics from different points of view, and stories from across the country.

Order 9066

Order 9066 chronicles the history of this Japanese internment camp incarceration through vivid, first-person accounts of those who lived through it.

Code Switch: Screams and Silence

Asians and Asian Americans have been trying to sound the alarm about a huge uptick in reports of racism directed at their communities.

Asian Enough

From the Los Angeles Times, “Asian Enough” is a podcast about being Asian American — the joys, the complications and everything in between.

Dear Asian Americans

Dear Asian Americans is a podcast for and by Asian Americans, focusing on authentic storytelling rooted in origin, identity, and legacy.

Watch

View these documentaries and videos to explore various histories and social issues.

Heritage iRL

View a web series engaging Asian American heritage "in real life," in progress, across a range of media and communities.

Inhuman Figures

Inhuman Figures reveals imagined futures produced from a long history of treating Asian Americans as tireless workers, indistinguishable copies, and forever foreigners.

We Are Not a Stereotype

Learn what it means to be Asian Pacific American and the impact of stereotypes in media, culture, and individual lives.

Oregon's Japanese Americans

Oregon Public Broadcasting bring us the history of how Pearl Harbor changed everything for the Japanese living in Oregon and the West Coast.

Read

Read sourced, cited articles, and webpages about art and activism, Asian American history in the U.S., and more.

AAPI in Oregon

The story behind Portland’s cherry blossom trees.

More Oregon Resources:

Southern Oregon Chinese Cultural Association: Learn more

Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon: Learn more

The New Americans: On David Chang, honesty, and what it means to be Asian American: Learn more

Art, parks, and museums

Smithsonian’s Asian Pacific American Center: The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center brings history, art, and culture to you through innovative community-focused experiences.

Smithsonian presents AAPI Heritage in Collections: Immerse yourself in a collection of historical items, distinguished portraits, artwork, and more featured throughout the Smithsonian.

Billy Thao — artist highlight: Billy Thao is a Hmong American, self-taught visual artist and children's illustrator of Yang Warriors who is passionate about storytelling and bringing stories to life.

Local resources

BLACK SOUTHERN OREGON ALLIANCE: Black Southern Oregon Alliance brings people together to enhance educational and economic opportunities for all Black/African Americans and People of Color.

BASE: Black Alliance & Social Empowerment: BASE serves to create a supportive community where Black people in Southern Oregon feel safe, respected, and comfortable being themselves.

COALITION FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR: The Coalition of Communities of Color addresses socioeconomic disparities, institutional racism and inequity of services experienced in our area.

OLA Statement Against Anti-Asian Violence

The Oregon Library Association condemns anti-Asian hate crimes and strongly supports the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) Statement Against Anti-Asian Violence.

Read OLA's statement